USAID|Nicaragua: From the American People Success Stories
Top red Line  

USAID Assistance Helps Nicaragua Comply with Inter-American Convention against Corruption

Photo: U.S. Ambassador Paul A. Trivelli and USAID Nicaragua Director Alex Dickie participated in a ceremony to award six grants to civil society organizations to promote government compliance with the Inter-American Convention against Corruption

On May 31, U.S. Ambassador Paul A. Trivelli and USAID Nicaragua Director Alex Dickie participated in a ceremony to award six grants totaling more than $500,000 to five civil society organizations to promote Nicaraguan government compliance with the Inter-American Convention against Corruption.

The Inter-American Convention against Corruption, which was signed by Nicaragua in 1996 and ratified in 1999, is an anticorruption plan to prevent, detect and sanction acts and crimes of corruption.  The IACC is one of the only anti-corruption treaties in the world that recognizes explicitly that citizen participation is imperative in the fight against corruption.  Since 2005, in accordance with the treaty, USAID has been providing assistance to an anticorruption coalition group of 14 civil society organizations.  The coalition submitted an independent report on the government’s actions and implementation of the convention during the OAS’ Second Round of Analysis.  With the new assistance, the coalition will develop a website and expand anticorruption activities to eight municipalities.

As part of the international follow-up to the convention, the Organization of American States (OAS) has made the following recommendations to Nicaragua, among others:

  • Strengthen the appointment procedures of all government officials, including those of the municipalities, judicial authorities and the Public Ministry.
  • Reform the Public Acquisition Law
  • Create a protection system for government officials and citizens who denounce corruption acts
  • Improve the verification system and use of probity declarations
  • Develop and regulate a process for access to information requests

Assistance to the Nicaraguan government and civil society organizations to comply with the IACC is part of USAID’s U$6.9 million Transparency Program (2005-2009) to promote legal reforms, access to information, government transparency, and increased public awareness and citizen participation in government.  The 14-member anticorruption coalition in Nicaragua includes the Paulo Freire University; Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation; Fundemos; Etica y Transparencia; Hagamos Democracia; Antonio Valdivieso Ecumenical Center;  Association of Internal Auditors of Nicaragua; Association of Jurists and Trial Attorneys of Nicaragua; Center of Social and Cultural Analysis of the Central American University; Institute of Nicaraguan Studies; Association Monsignor Lezcano; American Nicaraguan Chamber of Commerce; Journalists Association of Nicaragua (APN); and Journalists Union of Nicaragua (UPN).

Red Line